EclecticGeek

White people killed Detroit – Salon.com.

If they aren’t able to work out a deal to consolidate with surrounding counties then the city should consider internal consolidation. Consolidate the citizenry in the middle and “abandon” the outskirts. Turn them into public parks or something similar. It would be the death knell of Detroit as a major metropolitan city, but it might give them a chance to rebuild.

I don’t know if this is advisable or even possible, but I think if the city works with its residents it could still make a go of it.

Daniel Ellsberg: NSA leaker Snowden made the right call – The Washington Post.

I’m glad Ellsberg made this statement. There is little chance that Snowden would receive fair treatment from a government that tries to squash leaks with such a heavy hand.

Crazy living rock is one of the weirdest creatures we’ve ever seen | Grist.

Nature just continuously finds ways to amaze … a “living rock!”

Militarized police overreach: “Oh, God, I thought they were going to shoot me next” – Salon.com.

The militarization of police is a disturbing trend. The fact that the police see nothing wrong with mistaken or overly violent raids is even more disturbing. It’s sad that even with highly public examples of militarization like the Occupy raids this issue gets almost no attention.

This country will see its death in the hunt for absolute security.

Life as a stay-at-home dad: Everyone I meet calls me a hero for taking care of my kids..

Truth. Beautiful, poignant, depressing truth.

Snowden and Venezuela: My bizarre experience in the surveillance state – Boing Boing.

If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear. Except for your words being used against you in a media/social network PR shitstorm by your political opponents. And, apparently, out-of-context statements possibly being used as evidence in a criminal investigation.

Harmless “T-Ray” Vision Sees Through Boxes, Walls and Skin | DiscoverMagazine.com.

Grilling Over Charcoal Is Objectively, Scientifically Better Than Grilling Over Gas | Wired Opinion | Wired.com.

blah blah charcoal blah blah BACON

America’s founders would be horrified at this United States of Surveillance | Dan Gillmor | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk.

I’ve said a lot on this topic, so a lot of these will be posted without comment. Plus I have some related articles to read/comment on.

The rise of Nazi Germany: Did the prevalence of hunting and singing clubs help Nazis come to power?.

It’s an interesting idea, that “network capital” can lead to horrific social policies (a la the Holocaust). That’s not to demean the potential benefits of social clubs. But the potential of these organizations to be used to exclude, demean, or demonize the “other” is pretty well established. In extreme cases you have more immediate effects (e.g. mob mentality violence) but this article hints and potential slow-building, long term effects.